"Whoa… what do you think it is?"
"I don't know… it's really pretty though."
"How much do you think it's worth?"
"Probably a lot. I wonder if that's real gold."
"It might be. I've heard there's a lot of ancient artifacts and stuff down here."
"Hey… look it's glowing!"
"That's kind of weird. Let's forget about it. Come on, let's go."
"No way. It's really pretty and it glows. I'm taking it."
"No please! Don't touch it!"
Three months later.
Inquisitor Lord Alvaro Argomaniz stood in the audience chamber of the fortress monastery of the Grey Knights. The fortress-monastery was built into the only moon in Vulcanis' orbit, Magma. He stood alone, awaiting the arrival of Grand Master Doratius. He was admiring the carvings in the walls. Depicted in the walls of the audience chamber were some of the greatest heroes of the order. Grand Masters and Inquisitor Lords, all smiting daemons or striking some heroic pose. Argomaniz stopped and his mouth opened slightly when he looked upon himself, standing tall with his Daemonhammer raised high above his head. As if on cue, Grand Master Doratius entered the chamber, wearing a white and grey habit. "Inquisitor Argomaniz," the Grand Master said, "It is good to see you again."
"Indeed Doratius." The inquisitor said. "I seem to find myself immortalized on this wall," he said, pointing to the relief of himself.
"That was my idea. I felt I should pay homage to the one that brought me into the Emperor's light."
Argomaniz laughed. "How long has it been since I found you on that burning, rocky hell of a planet?"
"Two hundred years almost, and it may be a hell, but it is still my home." Doratius said with a smile.
Argomaniz laughed again, "You know… most of the Grey Knights can't remember anything about their lives before their training, let alone hold an affection for their homeworld… you certainly are unique." He paused. "But then again I suppose that is why you are the youngest of the Ordo Malleus to achieve the rank of Grand Master, and to have turned a backwater system into a thriving asset to the Order."
Doratius looked down. "I only do my best for the Emperor."
Argomaniz nodded. "That is why I have come to you today. Because you are the best."
Doratius raised an eyebrow. "Sir?"
"As you know, I have family connections to the hive world of Jenavae Prime. Some… unusual things have been happening. I conducted investigations… and there is a cult… a large cult. I have managed to trace its origins to a derelict who found an Icon of the Lord of Change. The infestation of chaos is widespread. Were it any other planet I would issue the Exterminatus… it may be selfish and hypocritical… but my family is there."
Doratius was shocked. Argomaniz… one of the most decorated and celebrated Inquisitor Lords in active service to the Imperium had come to him and expressed thoughts and wishes that were a hair's breadth away from even a very liberal view of heresy.
"Doratius, there is no one else I can trust…"
"Are you asking me to eliminate a cult of chaos so large that under normal circumstances it would take an Exterminatus?"
"Not quite so large as that, thankfully. I have managed to locate the center of the cult, and I believe that if this 'ruling council' were eliminated, the rest of the cult would fall apart."
Doratius nodded, knowing already the information he would receive next.
"The problem is… they operate within an abandoned military base. I have seen only a glimpse of their firepower and it is formidable. I do not know for sure how many cultists are there, but there are at least three hundred in the facility. There may be daemons, and there may even be a greater daemon."
"And it is also a mission which requires the utmost subtlety, meaning I can take a squad of five men with me, and it would be a black op so there would be no communication, ruling out the opportunity for reinforcements. And if I fail, my disappearance will be investigated, you will be excommunicated, we will both be remembered for our failures, and the planet will succumb to the Exterminatus anyway."
Argomaniz looked down and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry Doratius… I shouldn't have come here…"
"How long do I have?" Doratius said, not hesitating for a moment.
Argomaniz looked up. "You mean to say…?"
"Yes… It's the least I can do for an old friend."
Argomaniz stared in disbelief for a moment and then nodded. "Thank you my friend… I am indebted to you eternally."
Doratius waved a hand. "Please… if what you have told me is true, then I have little time… I need all of the information you have gathered on this."
Argomaniz nodded his head in agreement. "I will have the intelligence I have gathered linked to you directly."
The two men parted ways, Argomaniz travelling back to his ship, and Doratius making the trek back to his offices already putting together a plan in his head for how to tackle such a suicidal mission…
"All of this is of the record, brothers… we go in… we eliminate… we leave."
Five Grey Knights looked at each other. All were thinking the same thing. "Do we report this heretic? Or do we follow our commanders orders?"
"Since this is not an official mission I can not order any of you to come. I will go alone if I must. Inquisitor Alvaro Argomaniz is a great man, and he has done much for me since he found me as a boy on the very planet this moon orbits. I do this out of respect for him."
"Sir… this is borderline heresy," Brother Captain Camnerion said hesitantly.
"It seems that way, I know… but my faith in the emperor has not weakened. And nor has Inquisitor Argomaniz's"
"Sir, he lacks the conviction sacrifice a handful of family members to prevent the spread of Chaos, that shows weakened resolve," Brother-Captain Munio said.
Doratius shook his head, "Munio, the ties that bind normal humans to each other are sometimes stronger than even the ties that bind us to our battle-brothers. I would certainly take this risk were any of my brother knights in danger."
"Sir we are the commanders of this sect of our order. If we fail, our discovery would be inevitable and the rest of the Grey Knights here would be executed under suspicion of heresy. The toll our failure would take on the Imperium would be catastrophic," Camnerion reasoned.
Before Doratius could respond, Brother-Captain Dallus spoke, "That is why we must not fail." He turned to Doratius. "I will accompany you sir."
"As will I," Brother-Captain Pelarios said, standing.
"And I," Bellowed Brother-Captain Bretian.
Doratius looked at the other two brother captains, who also stood. "My faith is unshakeable… we will prevail," said Camnerion.
"As is mine… we follow you to the Eye itself, Grand Master," Munio said with a smile.
Doratius grinned. "Then we must hurry… we have been given a window of three days until the Exterminatus, and it will take us until morning to arrive. Don your armor brothers… after all there is no nobler cause than the unsung war…"